Ph problem

[ruip]

Ok hopefully someone can help..I have two 55gal tanks and I'm having ph problems. They both drop ph to 6.0 I'm using the api master kit. I did a test with water in a cup and left it out for a week and ph is 7.2 but in both tanks it drops to 6.0...need help please

 

[Daxhua]

How long have your tanks been setup?
Is there a certain ph level that you want?
Really what you want is a stable ph most fish can acclimate to low or high levels just as long as its stable.

 

[ruip]

Tanks have been set up for over 5 months. In one tank I have a red tail catfish and I was looking for a 7.0 ph and the other tank is a african cichlid tank which I would be happy with 7.4 to 7.6 but if u say fish will adapt I guess ill leave it as is. And I do atleast one 25% water change a week which with that alone I would figure would keep ph at abouve 7 but it drops to 6.0

 

[ruip]

What would make my ph drop like that? Like I said when I did a test with water in a container it hold ph of 7.4 but in my tank it drops..I don't have drift wood or anything I can think of that would drop ph

 

[Daxhua]

Well the lack of KH buffers can cause low or unstable PH. My tap water ph is 8.8. But my tank sits at 7.4 and my KH is 5dk.
You should test your tap waters KH and GH, you don't have to let it sit before you tests it

 

[ruip]

I don't have a kit to test for those. How do I get it or get the water tested? Thanks for all your help by the way

 

[Daxhua]

API sells a kit for both KH/GH testing you can find in most pet/fish stores. I've been doing a lot of research on aquarium water chemistry and have experience messing with own.

This site has been very helpful to me http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

 

[ruip]

Thank you ill take a look and ill try to get one of those kits

 

[Daxhua]

Any time, keep us posted.

 

[ruip]

Sure will

 

[Borderlesscott]

Most LFS will test your water for free or a small price, I use the Api master kit myself but as I really don't need to test the gh and kh that often I take a sample of water to my LFS to test for them.